Rock-drill.



ROCK'DRILL. i APPLICATION .FILED'MAFL 20, l9l2. RENEWED APR.29.1915. ,Llg

G. H. GILMAN.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

,.Xw l l 7 finden smarts raffina-1T onirica.

GEORGE. H. efILMAN,I or OLAREMONT,NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To ,SULLIVAN MACHINERYOOMPANY, or' BOSTON, MASSACHU- SnTTS, A CORPORATION oF MASSACHUSETTS.

Y. ROOK-DRILL.

meegaan.

Patented Dec. 14,1915.

"pplication filed March 20, 1912,-Seria1 No. 684,967. Renewed April 29, 1915. Serial No. 24,803.

To all whom t may concern:

Be`1t known that I, (lrnonon H. GriLMAN, a cltlzen. of the United States. and! a =resident ofV Claremont, county of SullivaniLState of New Hampshire. (whose post-Oflice address vented anlmnrovement in Rock-Drills, of which the fono ing descriptioinin connection with the accompanying drawings, is a sDecification, lihe characters on the drawings representing like parts.

l This invention relates to stone working machines and more particularly, though not exclusively, to rock drills of the reciprocating type provided with means for supplying water together with compressed air or other gaseous fluid to the drilled hole for the purpose of washing out therefrom 'the pulverized stone and cuttings which have been displaced by the tool.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a common type of Vrock drilling machine to which is applied one form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal section of a portion of the piston'and water tube showing the latter withdrawn from the passage in the piston rod.'l Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on a much 'enlarged scale of the rifle-bar and the bushing in which it reciprocates. y

Referring to the drinvings, I have there shown for the purpose of illustrating the principal features of' the invention. a rock drill having the piston l and the cylinder 2, the cylinder being mounted upon ya-u'sual shell 3 on which it is adapted to bev fed toward the work by the feed screw 4cv and handle 5 through the usual connections. rlhe piston rod 6 which projects through the forward cylinder head 7 terminates' `in the tool holding chuck 8 in which-any suitable form of bit 9 is held fixed againstrotation by a steel having a hexagonal cross section. y.llt

terminates in the cutting edge 10 and has an axial passage 11 from end to end. Any usual or suitable form of controlling valve may be employed for admitting pressure iud (which is preferably compressed air but maybe steam or other elastic'gaseous Huid) to the opposite ends of the cylinder through the ports 12 and 12X, but herein a valve 13 of the pressure-actuated piston type is shown which is reversed by means of the reverse ports liand 15, the latter shown in dottedlines as leading from opposite ends of the valve chamber to the circumferential grooves 16 and 17, respectively, of the cylinder. i

The movement of the piston in either direction uncovers one of the Vcylindergrooves. 16 or 1T and admits vpressure fluid from behind the piston to one` end of the valve to throw the same in the opposite direction, the opposite end of the valveichamber being simultaneously opened to the exhaust bythe uncovering of the remaining cylinder groove 'to a longitudinal groove 18 formed in the piston and communicating with a central piston groove 19, the latter being open to a cylinder groove 2O which communicates with the exhaust port. This form of pressureactuated piston controlled valve is well known and is shown merely as illustrative of any suitable type of controlling valve, the invention not being limited to this or any other valve construction.

At each strokeof the piston the latter, together with its attached tool is given a slight rotative movement, as is usual in this class of devices, preferably .by suitable automatic rotating mechanism. Herein such rotating Vmechanism comprises the spirally grooved rifle bar Q1 engaging the spirally toothed nut i2 secured in the'rear head of the pis.- ton. The riiie bar 21, as is customary, is permitted a rotative movement in one direction as the piston moves forwardly, but is locked against rotative movement on the reverse stroke of the piston so as to compel the step-by-s'tep rotative movement of the lat- The m'eans for holding the rifle bar' rotatively fixed in one direction only herein comprises the usual ratchet 23 secured to the ter.

rifle bar and combined with roller clutch -pins '24 of a common typesuch as is shown in prior patent to Officer No. 580,461, this, however, being merely disclosed as illustrativeof any suitable rotating mechanism.'

To direct a supply of water to the drilled hole the piston rod and pistonare suitably formed to receive the water-tube or pipe 25y adapted to introduce water under pressure into the passage 26 in the piston rod whence it flows to the passage 11 through the drill steel to the cutting edge 10 thereof. The

Water tube 25 may be held in any suitable manner so as to be-adjustable longitudinally, but herein'its rear vend is gripped by at.. through the washer 27and the'steel disk 29 v into the central passage of the gland 30,

-theyieldable washer 27, preferably of rub'- ber or other similar material, such washer beingseated in an axial cavity formed in the cylinder headblock 28. The rubber washer 27 isbacked by a disk 29 preferably of steel or other suitable metal, which is forced down upon the rubber washer by means of the threaded gland 30 t'o compel the washer -to adjustably grip the tube.' The water vpipe which is thus adjustably gripped by the Irubber washer 27, projects with a sliding it through an axial openlng in the rifle bar l21 and into the hollow passage 26 of the piston rod with which it also has a. -sliding The rear end ofthe tube projects which latter is provided with the connection 31 through which Water'under pressure may be supplied by a flexible or other pipe connection from an elevated reservoir, force pump, or other suitable source, notshown.-

In order to unite the water in the form of spray, a portion of the exhaust pressure fluid or a portionl` of the live pressure fluid4 Abehind the-piston is caused to escape into the interior of the piston and, when the latter has reached a certain part of the stroke,

' which may be determined by. the adjustment of the water tube is caused-to enter fluid into the piston passage 26 the rifle bar the axial passage 26 to meet the water disf chargedv through the tube 25, the water and pressure Huid passing forward through the drill bit and being discharged at the cutting edge` thereof, acting to keep the bottom of the hole clean. A

To cause the introduction of the pressure chamber 32 is prolonged or counterbored at 33, the prolonged portion extending far enough so that when o a certain predetermined position lis reached by the piston on its'forward stroke the forward end of the water tube 25 may be uncovered or openedto the cunterbored portion 33 of the rifle bar chamber and either live or exhaust fluid. pressure accumulatedy therein Y is al. lowed to escape'into the'passag'e 26 in front of the tube and unite with the streamof .water therein. Thus the portion ofthe pistonrod which -coperates with the forward end ofv the Water tube constitutes a meansl ing to the fact that exhaust pressure fluid may 'be utilized. The exhaust position of the piston on its forward stroke is reached when it uncovers the valve reverse groove 16. The pressure fluid within the rear ena of -the cylinder is then exhaust pressure fluid', since thevalve is reversed and live pressure fluid is no longer supplied tothe rear end of the cylinder. AThe clearance between the grooves of the rifle bar-.21 and the teeth of the nut 22 permits a reasonably free passage or interchange of the actuating Huid between the rifle `bar chamber 32 and the.` cylinder chamber behind the piston, the

result' being that at each forward stroke of the piston a portion of either li've 'or exhaust fluid from behind the piston as the conditions of the work may require, may be released through the rie bar Vchamber 32, the counterbored portion 33 and. piston rod passage 26 and may act to drive the water through the drill bit passage and into vthe bottom'of the hole in the form of spray, serving to expel the cuttings at each stroke of the tool.l Thus at'each stroke of the piston there is added 'to the steady stream of water flowing through the tube a puff or injection of air of just the required force according to the ,conditions-'of the'work, this taking place during and preferably at or near the end -of-the downward or working stroke so that it is' effective in' acting on the cuttings-loosened by the'stroke. When the water tube is placed in the position shown in the drawing, the forward end of the tube is uncovered or opened to V'the' counter bored portion 33 of the rifle'bar chamber at the lproper time inthe stroke of the piston to release exhaust pressure fluid vinto'the passage 26. The amount of the pressure fluid thus released may be varied by'v'aryin'g the'. position of the tube .longitudinallyfwithin certain limits. By adjusting the tubereari wardly beyond these limits, fthe end of the -tubevwill be uncovered so earlyin' the stroke as toreleaselive pressure iluid'into' thepassage 26. By adjusting the tube forwardly to -a sufficient extent, the end of the tube;wil l liao' not be uncovered during any paru-ofthe,

stroke, and consequently the suppl' ffpresf sure fluid through thefdrill`l bit will'lbe entirely cut olf. Thus it will be" seenlthat by; proper adjustment-of the v.water 'tube,ftl1e\ vpressurelfluid supply throughthe drillbit may be regulatedto lsuit the1conditions:of;y

cylinder`v piston, rifleV bar, saidgpiston being provided with a rifle' bar chamber -and an.

said passage ateachpiston stroke a-:quantity vof pressure fluid. from the rifle bar Licence the work` on which'the tool is operated, it

being possibile to secure the delivery from the drill blt of water alone,'vvater and exhaust pressure fiuid,`or"water and live pressure fluidL Thewater may-be controlled or regulated by any suitable -means such as the 'hose line valve 35. l

If desired the supply of' water might be wholly .cut off and the tool used with pressure fluid alone', the Water being introduced independently into the hole, or, by omitting the 'counterbore' 33, the drilling may be performed under the cleansing action of' `wateralon'ej If desireda perforated packing washer 34 may be employed between the shank of the cutter blt 9 andthe seat in the chuck 8 so as topre'vent leakage of water through the chuck.

While I have herein. shown vand described for the purpose of .illustration one specific form of the l"invention, it is to be understood that the same is submitted for illustrative purposes only and that extensive .deviations may be made from the disclosed form thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention.

l. In a rock drill, the combination with a cylinder, a'piston having a chamber and a piston rod having an axial passage terminating in said chamber, a rifle-bar extending -into said chamber, a fluid supply-tube secured to saidcylinderand projecting axially through said rifle-bar, said chamber and into said axial piston passage, said tube being of such length as to alternately enter and withdraw fromsaid passage to alternately open and close the Alatter t0 said 4chamber during the reciprocation of said'piston.

2. In a rock drill` the combination with a axial passage. a fluid supply tube projecting through the rifle bar and itschamber into said passage andime'ans coperating with the forward end-of said tube constituting a -valve for'intermittently admitting to chamber tothe said piston passage.

the rifle bar with the cylinder chamber, means for feedlng water through the rlfle bar into the piston passage., and means for also intermittently introducing into said piston passage pressure fluld from the rifle.

bar chamber.

4. In .a rock drill the combination Witha 1- cvlin'der, a piston provid-ed with a rifle-bari chamber,v a rifle bar, said plston and rifle 5. In a rockndril'l the combination with a, cylinder., of a piston, a rifle bar, said piston f being provided. With a rifleu bar chamber and an axial passage, and said chamber having free communication at all times past' bar being provided each with ,van axial passage, means for introducing watery through the Vrifle bar into the piston passage and means for admitting pressure fluid from the cylinder also into said piston passage only when the exhaust position of' the piston I[is reached.

5..In a rock drill the combination with a cylinder, a piston provided with a rifle-bar I chamber, a rifle bar, said piston and rifle bar-being provided each with anaxial passage.- means for introducing water through the rifle bar into the vpiston passage and means for admitting only exhaust pressure fluid into said pist-on'passage to intermingle with said water;

6. In a' rock drill the combination with a cylinder. `a piston and rifle bar` said piston and rifle bar each being 'provided with a fluid supply passage, means for introducing water through' the rifle bar into the said ino' into said assaO'e exhaust ressure fluid from the' rear of the cylinder.

8. In a rock drill. the colnbination with a cylinder. a piston and a rifle bar, said piston being provided with anaxial passage and a rifle bar chamber, a fluid supply tube.

.projecting through the rifle bar and its chamber and-being of' such length as to be intermittently opened to the pressure fluid in said rifle bar chamber.

9. In a. rock drill the combination with a cylinder, piston and rifle' bar. .said piston being provided with a fluid supply passage and a rifle bar chamber, said chamber comnunicating at all times with the pressure fluid at the rear of the .piston for the passage of Said fluid pastthe .rifle bar, and means for intermittently opening the fluid supply passage of said piston to the rifle bar chamber.. e

10. Ina reciprocatory rock drill the coinbination with a cylinder of a piston and a rifle bal', a fluid supply 'passage in said piston', a water feed tube entering the rifle bar for delivering' water to said passage, and

means for intermittently' placing the forward end of lsaid feed tube in communication with the exhaust pressure fluid in the cylinder,

.11. Inga reciprocatory rock drill the combination .with a' cylinder,` a `pistonfa fluid supply passage in the vpistorar-,1.1,a ixeid Water feedtube for delivering water to said piston =passage, and means for intermittently placing the forward endl of said feed tube in communication with the exhaust fluid pressure in the cylinder. u y

12.v In a reciprocating rock drill the combination with 'a-piston, a cylinder, a rifle `bar, saidpiston having a rifle bar chamber communicatingwith said cylinder and a :fluid supply passagel communicating with said chamber,- a feed tube passingl through the rifle bar for introducing water into said piston passage, and means for mtermittently opening the said piston passage to thepressure fluid in said rifle bar chamber. 13. In a reciprocating rock drill the combination 'with a piston, a cylinder, a rifle bar, Said piston having a rifle bar chamber communicating with said cylinder and a fluid supply passage communicating with said chamber, a feed tube passing through the rifle bar for introducing water into said piston passage, and means for intermittently opening the said piston passage to the exhaust pressure fluid in said rifle bar .chamber after the supply of pressure fluid to said cylinder has been cut off'. t

14. In a rock drill, the combination with a' cylinder, of a d rill bit provided with a fluid. supplypassage arranged to communicate Withsaid cylinder, a water feed tube .communicating with said passage, and a piston having means coperating Wit-li said tube to alternately open; and close communication between said passage and said cylinder. y A

" 15. In a rock drill, the combination with a cylinder member and a piston member, of

a drill bit provided with a Huid supply passage arranged toy communicate with said cylinder, and a water feed tube communicating with said passage andseeured to one of said members, said tube being of-such length and so positioned as to utilizev the reciproeatory movement of said piston to alternately open and close communication between said passupply passage arranged to communicate with saidcylinder, a piston provided with a v fluid supply passage communicating with the drill bit passage, a water-feed tube communicating with said fluid supply passage and means coperating with said feed tube for utilizing the reciprocatory movement of said piston to open and close communication between said piston passage and said cylinder.

18. In a rock drill, thecombination with a cylinder, of a pistonl provfded with a fluid supply passage arranged" o communicate with said cvlinder, means for utilizing the reeiprocatory movements of said piston to open and close communication between said passage and said cylinder, and means for enabling the point of the piston Stroke at which said passage is opened to be va ried.

19. In a rock drill, the combination with a cylinder, of 4a piston provided with a fluid supply passage, and means for utilizing the reciprocatory movement of said piston to alternately open and close said passage to thehve pressure fluid or the exhaust fluid after the supply of pressure fluid to the cylp inder has been cut off.

20. In a rock drill, the combination with `a. cylinder, of a tool-actuating piston provided with a 'fluid supply passage leading directly to and communicatingat all times with the drill-tool, a valve acting to utilize the reciprocatory movement of said piston to alternately open and close said passage, and means permitting longitudinal adjustment of said valve.

21. In a rock drill, the combination with a cylinder, of a piston provided with a fluid supply passage, and a valve acting to utilize the reeiprocatory movement of said piston to alternately enter and withdraw from said passage.

In a rock drill, the combination with a cylinder, of a piston provided with a fluid supply passage, and a water feed tube utilizing the reciprocatory movement of said piston to alternately openand close said passage.

23. In a rock drill, the combination with a cylinder, of a piston provided with a fluid supply passage, a water feed tube utilizing the reciprocatory movement of said piston to alternately open and close said passage, and means for adjustably securing said tube while permitting longitudinal adjustment of the same.

24. In a rock-dull, the combmationof a cylinder, a piston provided with a fluid supply passage, and a valve acting to utilize the reciprocatory movement of said piston to alternately open and close said assage.

25. In a rock drill, the comblnation of a drill-bit, a reciprocating drill-bit actuating' member provided with a fluid supply passage leading toward the cutting end of said drill-bit, and means acting to utilize the reciprocatory movement of said member to alternately open and close said passage.

26. In a rock drill, the combination of a4 hollow drill-bit, a reciprocating drill-bit actuating member provided with a fiuid suplp13.7 passage communicating with .the inte- .member to alternately open and close said passage.

27. In a rock-drill, the combination of a drill-bit, separate conduits for conducting supplies of gaseous fluid and liquid toward the cutting end of' said drill-bit, and means for causing relative reciprocatory movement of said conduits to interrupt and reestablish the flow of said gaseous fluid.

28. In a rock-drill, the combination of a drill-bit, separate conduits for conducting supplies of gaseous and liquid fluid toward the cutting end of said drill-bit and commingling said fluids. and means for causing relative reciprocatory movement of said conduits to interrupt and reestablish the flow of one of said fluids.

29. In a rock drill, the combination of a drill-bit, coaxially arranged 4conduits for conducting supplies of gaseous and liquid fluid toward the cutting end of said drillbit and commingling said fluids, and means for causing relative reciprocating movement of' said conduits to produce a pulsatory character of the stream of fluid.

30. In a rock drill, the combination of a .drill-bit, coaxially arrangedj conduits for conducting supplies of' gaseous and liquid fluid toward the cutting end of said drillbit and commingling said fluids, one of said conduits discharging into the other, and means for causing relative reciprocatory movement of said conduits to establish and interrupt communication between said conduits.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification., in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE H. GILMAN. llitnesses CHAs. J. JONES, IRENE KELLEY. 

